CPC B64C 29/0033 (2013.01) [B64C 3/00 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); G05D 1/102 (2013.01); B64U 30/20 (2023.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. An aircraft operable to transition between a VTOL flight mode and a forward cruise flight mode, the aircraft having pitch, roll and yaw axes, the aircraft comprising:
a fuselage;
a wing system including first and second oppositely disposed wings coupled to and extending laterally from the fuselage;
a tiltable propulsion system rotatably coupled to the fuselage between the first and second wings, the tiltable propulsion system including a frame system having four diagonally extending arms each having a propulsion assembly coupled thereto forming a distributed thrust array; and
a flight control system configured to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies and configured to control the orientation of the tiltable propulsion system;
wherein, in the VTOL flight mode, the tiltable propulsion system is substantially perpendicular to the yaw axis of the aircraft in a vertical thrust orientation such that the propulsion assemblies are configured to provide vertical thrust; and
wherein, in the forward cruise flight mode, the tiltable propulsion system is substantially perpendicular to the roll axis of the aircraft in a forward thrust orientation such that the propulsion assemblies provide forward thrust.
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